Browse Police Fitness Articles

_Hi Stew I am a 35 year old, 212 lbs Police officer and I run and lift weights for exercise. My goal is to find a weight lifting program to get "cut/ripped", not "big." Do you have a workout program that might help me? Thanks for your work - John T_ Yes, there are plans that will help you with your ...

_Hello Stew, thanks for your service and your continued support of the military, police and their families in fitness and health. I am trying to lose weight and thought I’d try something that would eliminate carbohydrates from my diet for a while? What do you think of that as a weight loss idea?_ Just as a rule - never eliminate the ...

Usually, after 8-9 months of challenging running and calisthenics based workouts (see Solstice Plan), I am ready for a few months of non-impact aerobics of indoor swimming and biking for cardiovascular workout options. However, this year, I have tested out some gear during the 30 degrees days of the past month and feel like pushing it a little during the winter ...

_Stew,_ _I’ve been reading your articles and you have some great tips on how to lose weight. I am a 34 year old mother of two, am 5’8”, and have been fighting an extra 30-40 lb for the past two years. It seems that everything I try ends up in failure. I am afraid I am locked in an infinite cycle ...

Most people who exercise in the winter either live in temperate climates or stay indoors to burn the excess calories that lead to weight gain. The focus of your goals should not change due to the season, we all still need exercise and to eat properly year round. However, if you are one of the few people who can handle the ...

This week my brother-in-law got a check up as he nears his 40th birthday and was alarmed with elevated cholesterol scores. Knowing he is not the healthiest eater and chooses to get his exercise by playing sports (basketball, volleyball, etc), he asked me what he should eat / not eat and do for better exercise. It is important to know and ...

_I am a 61-year-old retired officer and used to be in good shape but after a desk job for the past several years you can imagine the rest. Do you have any weight loss / fitness advice for some one like me?_ Thanks for your career of service sir. I do have some advice for you that will help you get ...

In a fast paced world where the fine line of work and relaxation has been blurred with wireless technology and the development of the home office, workers as well as families have become more and more susceptible to stress-related illnesses. Stress is a natural element of our behavior and our body handles stress by injecting “stress hormones” into our bloodstream when ...

Sleep... How important is it to those who exercise often as well as to those who do not? Scientists have been studying sleep patterns for decades, so there is plenty of research on the importance of sleep in our daily lives. Sleep also affects performance in between workouts during high intensity training programs like military and law enforcement training. I guess ...

Here is an email from a military man seeking to get better at his pull-ups and pushups for an upcoming PFT for Special Ops Selection. _Thank you for the 14 day "pull up":http://policelink.monster.com/training/articles/2678-pull-up-tips and the "push up routine.":http://policelink.monster.com/training/articles/2679-stuck-on-pushups-try-the-pushup-push-workout I did it to the letter, doing on average of a 130 pull ups and 300+ pushups per work out. I went from ...

Many people like to do calisthenics based workouts using pyramids and super set routines. In fact, with the right mix of exercises you can create a perfect workout that balances the entire body. Here is a question that prompted the following article: _Stew,_ _Do you have any lower body workouts in the pyramid form? I would like to put together a ...

Here is an email from a FBI candidate who failed the FBI PFT the first time around. _Stew, I wish I had used your "FBI PFT workout":http://www.policelinkfitness.com/fbiaccostphf.html about 10 weeks ago, but I am on it now and seeing good results. However, I am still having issues with the runs and the situps. What do you recommend to do in addition ...

Often I receive emails from military and law enforcement personnel concerning how fair a fitness test is and does it accurately measure someone’s fitness level. For instance, here is an email from one police officer who is seeking candidates for his department’s SWAT Team: _*I am about to open up tryouts for a few SWAT Team positions and am trying to ...

After spending more than a decade helping people become members of Special Operations units in every branch of the military and SWAT Teams in federal / state / local law enforcement agencies, I have seen a few common denominators that spell success, or graduation. Ask "did you think about quitting" to any member of a Special Operations unit in the military ...

I was once asked an interesting question concerning drinking beer and exercising. It seems that a former Navy Radioman had developed quite a gut since retiring, and was curious about whether he should give up his beer to lose weight? Not only did the gentleman enjoy drinking about 2-4 beers daily, he had also quit exercising. Moderate beer consumption is actually ...

Here is an email from a distinguished military and law enforcement officer concerning physical fitness testing in military and police professions. He writes: _Stew - I like your programs and articles but what is the big deal with physical fitness testing? Do you really think that maxing a fitness test is going to make you a good soldier or police officer? ...

*Do you have any advice with changing bad habits, or advice on what kinds of food I could eat on the run at work or could take in the patrol car with me through an entire shift? Also, any other changes I could make to my workout to help increase metabolism?* "This is what I do for food.":www.stewsmith.com/foodplan.doc But when on ...

Here is a great question from a sailor seeking to better his PFT run time and has gathered extra information about training with heart rate monitor training. _How much emphasis should I put on target heart rate while training for the PRT run? The Navy PRT web page says the target heart rate for my age group (25 years) is 117-146bpm, ...

Do you really not have enough time in your day to exercise? Too many times people say, “I need to exercise but I do not have enough time in the day.” Or, when they do have the time they only have the energy to lie down and watch TV. Whether you are on travel working late hours or at home dealing ...

I often get emails from beginners starting to exercise or officers who are avid trainers asking about what are some of the things I like to use, wear, and even listen to when exercising. Here are a few of the many things I like to use. I have been searching the fitness business world for places to put my logo on ...